Crankcase breather and oil filler pipe assembly



NOV. 20, 1951 w c, s -n ET AL 2,575,400

CRANKCASE BREATHER AND OIL FILLER PIPE ASSEMBLY Filed May 26, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Fig.1. 3

Inventor William C. Shirk Julius A. Jacobsen .Charles H. Shirk Raymond 0.:locobsen a Attorneys Nov. 20, 1951 w. c. SHlRK ET AL CRANKCASE BREATHER AND OIL FILLER PIPE ASSEMBLY 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed May 26, 1947 Fig.2.

\allll-llllln Patented Nov. 20, 1951 =2;

CRANKCASE BREATHER AND OIL FILLER PIPE ASSEMBLY William C. Shirk, Julius A. Jacobsen, Charles H. Shirk, and Raymond C. Jacobsen, Sioux Falls,

S. Dak.

Application May'26, 1947, Serial No. 750,604

1 Claim. (01. 183-15) This invention relates primarily to an internal combustion engine breather and oil filler pipe assembly which insures free and constant crankcase ventilation, and in which there is incorporated air cleaning means which serves to prevent the entrance of dirt into the crankcase of the engine on which the assembly is installed.

Many internal combustion engines either have no means for crankcase ventilation or have means which are inadequate. The passage of raw or burned gases past the pistons into the crankcase is. considerable, and they carry much moisture which condenses in the crankcase and forms sludge, as well as carrying acids, soot, and lead compounds. Either the outlet pipes or the filters on the inlets of ordinary breathers are ultimately clogged or restricted. Water in crankcase oil, sludge formation, water soaking of oil filter cartridges, corrosion of bearings, and rusting of valve springs and other parts are but few of the occurrences which evidence inadequate crankcase ventilation. Oil is forced through the main crankshaft bearings due to pressure built up in Referring in detail to the drawings, the present assembly includes a hollow body 5 in the form of a small tank having a depending bottom nipple Bat one end adapted to be telescoped within the oil filler nipple 1 of an engine crankcase. A depending open-ended tube 8 is carried by the other secured at its upper end against the bottom of the body 5 and is disposed in spaced concentric the crankcase because of clogged breather outlet pipes and filters. Busting or corrosion of parts of the engine ignition system often results from vapors in gases forced into such system from th crankcase because of such c1ogging.

The primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an engine breather assembly by means of which adequate crankcase ventilation is had, and removal and exclusion of harmful materials from the crankcase is accomplished before they cause trouble.

A further object of the invention is to provide an assembly of the above kind which is so constructed that the same may be easily disassembled and serviced, and in which the filler nipple of the crankcase may be uncovered so that oil may be introduced into the crankcase of the engine on which the assembly is installed without disturbing said assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assembly of the above kind which is comparatively simple in construction, convenient to use, and highly efiicient in use.

The exact nature of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a breather and v and surrounding relation to the tube 8. A jar l3 or equivalent receptacle encases the major lower portions of the tube 8 and the screen H, audit is adapted to contain a bodyof oil to a level substantially at the top of the slots 9 and screen I0 A cap M for jar I3 is carried by and depends from the body 5 in spaced concentric and sur-' rounding relation to the upper portion of the screen H, and is provided above the top of said jar with a circumferentialseries of openings l5. Means, such as a hinged bail l6 provided witha cam lever ll arranged to engage the top of the body-'5, is provided for removably clamping the jar 53 in place with its neck within the lower portion of cap [4. The body 5 has a topfiller opening IS in line with the nipple 6, and a' removable substantially air tight cap [9 is provided for the opening l8. The arrangement is such that upon removal of the cap or closure l9, oil may be poured through the opening [8 so that it will pass into and through the nipple 6. into the engine crankcase, without any danger of oil finding its way into the tube 8. At the same time, when the engine is in operation, air may be drawn into the crankcase through the slots 15 of cap i4, screens .II and I0, tube 8, body 5 and nipple 6, and gas and vapor may be forced from the crankcase through the same elements in a reverse direction.

A horizontal annular bafile or partition ring 20 is provided between the tubes l2 and 8, and may be carried by either of these elements. This baffie or partition 20 is shown as fitted and secured on tube 8 at a point below the neck of jar is and above the slots 9, and it causes the air. after passing inwardly through screen II from slots l5 to pass outwardly through the screen ll, then inwardly through the lower portion of the latter, and then through the body of oil in jar l3 and screen Ill. In this way, effective removal of dust and other foreign matter from the air is effected, fine particles being removed in passage of the air through the body of oil in the jar and the screens 10 and l I. As the air and the gas and vapors fiow in reverse directions during the breathing action of the engine, the surfaces of the screens will be automatically kept clear of foreign matter and the latter will readily settle, together with moisture, to the bottom of jar I3. As the jar i3 is transparent, it can be readily seen when removal of water or sediment is desirable and when the supply of oil in the jar needs changing. It will beparticularly apparent that the present invention excludes dirt and other foreign matter and provides free exit of gases and vapors from the engine crankcase. and that oil may be introduced into the crankcase without disturbing the assembly.

As shown, the neck of jar l3 has an external flange 2|, and the bail i6 is pivoted to a band 22 clamped on said neck beneath said flange. The cap 14 isseated on a gasket 23 disposed on flange 2i, and the slotted portion of this cap is above the upper edge of the jar neck. The closure I9 is similar to those commonly employed on automobile gas tanks and radiators, and the cam of lever l1 seats in a depression 24 provided in the top of body 5. Body isshown as made of a sheet metal shell 25 having its edge spun around a bottom sheet metal wall 26 as at 21. The tube 8 has an external shoulder 28 near its upper end. and the wall 25; top of cap l4 and inturned flange 29 on the upper end of tube l2 are clamped betweenthis shoulder 28 and outwardly and downwardly bent tongues 38 on the projecting upper end of tube 8. A gasket 3| is disposed on tube between the wall 25 and the top of cap l4.

In using the device, the oil is splashed about in the jar l3 and is directed downwardly by baflie 20 onto the screens I0 and H so as to maintain thin films of oil on the latter at all times. These oil films prevent dust and the like from passing inwardly through the screens. Air and vapors freely pass in and out or in opposite directions through the device, so that undesirable and dirty vapors may freely pass from the engine crankcase and only clean air is admitted to the crankcase. Under these circumstances, the life of the ordinary oil filter used in the engine lubricating system is greatly prolonged; Also,

' for a carburetor by telescopically assembling the nipple 6 to the air inlet nipple of the carburetor.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is In an assembly of the type described, a hollow body having a depending bottom nipple at one end adapted to be telescopically assembled to the oil filler nipple of an engine crankcase, a depending open ended tube carried by the other end of and communicating with said body, said tube having an imperforate upper portion and provided at its lower portion with a strainer screen, a tubular strainer screen carried by" and: depending from the bottom of said body in spaced concentric and surrounding relation to said tube and its strainer screen, a cap secured on-the bot tom of said body and having a cylindrical wall disposed in spaced concentric and surrounding relation to the upper portion of said tubularstrainer screen and provided with openings in its up'per portion, an oil containing member at- REFERENCES CITED 1 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES rrrrnn'rs Number Name Date 1,64 0291 Perkins Aug. 23, 1927 1,929,017 Davis Oct. 3, 1933 2,179,229 I-Iallerberg Nov. 7, 1939 2,243,083 Brown May 27, 1941 2,314,573 Clark et a1 May 23,1943 2,389,140 Enblom Nov. 20, 1 945 

